PH lifts ban on importing birds, poultry from Japan

The Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has lifted the temporary ban earlier imposed on the importation of wild and domestic birds, including poultry products from Japan due to bird flu cases in the East Asian country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DA said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order No. 31, allowing the resumption of importation of birds and poultry products, including day-old-chicks and hatching eggs from Japan.

In January, the DA issued the importation ban after Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or bid flu to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on November 28, 2023.

The Agriculture Department, in lifting the ban, said that Japan had reported to the WOAH that earlier cases of the HPAI had been resolved and that no additional cases have been reported since June 2, 2024.

Japan first reported cases of the H5N1 subtype of the bird flu virus on November 8, 2023.

H5N1 could spread rapidly among bird populations, including poultry that is a multibillion-peso industry in the Philippines, according to the DA.

“Based on the evaluation of the Department of Agriculture, the risk of contamination from importing live poultry, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible,” said Tiu Laurel. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News